Time Disruption Short Stories
by Xccj
Summary: Set in the alternate Bionicle universe from my story Time Disruption, these are three side stories on the characters Duka, Turaga Onewa, and Kopeke, focusing on what happened on Mata-Nui before Takua and his friends arrived. Minor spoilers for Time Disruption within.
1. Duka's Tragedy

Duka's Tragedy

Duka picked the last berry from the bush, and placed it in his basket. Now unable to pick any more berries, he lowered himself and his basket down from the branch he was upon. He wiped the sweat off his green Ruru, and took cover under some leaves to escape the sun.

"Hey, Duka, what are you doing?" a Matoran with a green Hau asked. "Why aren't you picking berries! I should immediately report you to the Lerahk!"

Duka merely smiled at this threat. "Good day, Hakma. Go ahead, tell the Lerahk. I bet he'll ask where your basket of berries is."

The two Matoran laughed, and embraced.

"It's good to have a friend like you, Hakma," Duka said. "Especially with a life like this."

Hakma grinned. "Today, the berries are practically falling off the bushes and into our baskets. So, we don't have to work too hard today..."

Duka narrowed his eyes. "We can't make another trip. The Lehvak nearly caught us last time! We need to wait a bit longer."

"I thought you wanted to test out that new wing design," Hakma pointed out.

Duka cringed. "Yes, I do. But... I don't want to get in trouble."

Hakma nudged his friend. "Hey, Duka, we've got to live a little. Haven't you ever wanted to explore this island? Do you even want to know what's beyond the jungle?"

"I know what's beyond the jungle," Duka said. "Three other Matoran settlements that are under control just like we are. I'd say that we have the easiest job on the whole island. We just pick berries for Makuta and the Bahrag. We don't have to deal with lava, like the red Matoran. I'd say we're lucky to be living here."

Hakma grinned. "You need to learn how to live life dangerously, my friend. Come on, let's go work on your little aircraft."

Duka was still hesitant, so Hakma finally said, "Okay, we'll be gone for just an hour. Then we'll be able to fall in line as if we had never left."

Duka grinned as well. "Okay, Hakma. Lead the way. I feel like taking a day off anyway."

The two Le-Matoran set aside their baskets full of berries, and started leaping through the canopy. They carefully swung from tree to tree, making sure not to produce any noise that would attract the Bohrok. After five minutes of vine swinging, they had left the area patrolled by the Bohrok. Then they wind-sprinted until they reached their destination. They found Duka's aircraft supported in the high branches of a large tree, completely hidden from Bohrok on the ground.

Duka grinned, and examined the wings. "See, the connections are loose here, here, and here. These won't support the wings at all. So I think we'll need to add a stick… right there." He pointed to the section of the wing.

"Do you think that'll do the trick?" Hakma asked.

Duka shrugged. "I don't know. It'll be a while before I can get this in the air."

"And when we do," Hakma said. "We can fly away from this place forever and get away from the Bohrok and Rahkshi!"

The two Matoran jumped to work. Hakma collected some tree bark, and Duka helped him turn it into rope. Duka selected a stick, and the two of them started tying it to Duka's aircraft. Duka smiled. He was working harder on this aircraft than he would be doing picking berries, but it felt so much better because he wasn't being forced to do the work. The freedom they had with the project gave Duka and Hakma hope, especially in their society where hope was completely crushed.

"I wonder how well this will fly," Hakma said casually. "Can it stay in the air like the birds do?"

Duka shrugged. "It'll glide quite a long distance, if my calculations are right. There'd need to be some source of power to keep it in the sky like a bird."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Duka said. "The only thing I can think of is an engine powered by Madu-Cabolo fruit. Madu-Cabolo have an explosive property, so if we could convert that explosive energy into energy that we could use..."

"An aircraft powered by Madu-Cabolo!" Hakma said with a laugh. "Duka, you're amazing, that's for sure."

Suddenly, Duka froze. "Do you hear that?" he whispered to his friend.

Hakma nodded. "Bohrok!"

The two Matoran abandoned the aircraft, and hid in the densest parts of the trees. Duka glared down towards the ground, and saw a single Lehvak walking through the jungle.

Hakma leaned closer to Duka and whispered, "What's a Lehvak doing way out here?"

"Is he looking for us?" Duka wondered.

"No way," Hakma replied. "It's not searching for anything. It's just walking on a path, like it knows where it's going. If it were looking for any Matoran, it would be far stealthier. And we wouldn't have heard it approach."

Duka nodded at his friend's logic. "Then why is it out here? We've never seen Lehvak out here before. You don't suppose that they do suspect something, and are just extending their patrol area."

"If it's patrolling way out here, then it's guarding something," Hakma said. "But that something isn't the Matoran. There's something else the Lehvak doesn't want to lose."

The two friends were silent, watching the Lehvak pass by. Suddenly, Hakma said, "Let's follow it."

"What?" Duka asked. "Why."

"To see what it's guarding. Eventually, it'll go back to where it started. Then we'll see what's what."

"Why do we care about what it's guarding?"

"If the Lehvak are guarding it, it just may be able to help the Matoran," Hakma explained. "If they don't want us to know about it, then we'll just have to find out about it some other way. Knowledge is worth something here, Duka."

Duka nodded. Indeed, his curiosity was just as great as Hakma's, but he was still cautious. "Let's go, but make sure to be quiet. If the Lehvak seems to hesitate at all, then run for it. We don't want to get caught."

Duka and Hakma wind-sprinted through the trees, keeping their distance from the Bohrok but still keeping it in sight. After nearly fifteen minutes, Duka stopped to rest. Hakma swung over to him. "What? Tired already?"

"No, but we should be going back," Duka said. "This Bohrok could be going anywhere, and if we're late..."

"Just five more minutes," pleaded Hakma. "I've never been to this part of the jungle before, and I want to see where the Bohrok leads us."

Duka sighed, and he scanned the ground for the Lehvak. But the Lehvak had stopped, and Duka realized that there was a clearing within the trees. He nudged Hakma, and pointed this out.

Hakma grinned. "Did I tell you or what? There's something special over here. Let's go take a look."

The two Matoran dropped to the ground, and huddled in the bushes on the edge of the clearing. In the center of the clearing was a large temple, which was in the shape of a pyramid. On the very top was a small package, but Duka and Hakma couldn't see the details from such a distance. They just gaped in awe at the sight.

"An entire temple!" gasped Hakma. "This is big. I wonder why they're guarding it."

"Maybe it's something that could help us," Duka suggested. "Or maybe the Bohrok just like temples. You can never tell with Bohrok."

The single Bohrok they had followed walked across the clearing, and disappeared within the foliage on the other side. Hakma looked around, but couldn't see anything else around the temple. "Let's go!" he said.

"Yes," Duka agreed. "This place is giving me the creeps."

"No, I mean lets go up on that temple and see what's up there," Hakma said.

Duka's eyes went wide. "Impossible! We'll be seen, and captured, and then punished! Then we'll never be able to get away from work, and I'll never be able to work on my aircraft. Oh, Hakma, don't do this!"

"But whatever is in that temple could possibly help us!" Hakma argued. "Duka, do you think that the Matoran should always remain under the control of the Bahrag and Makuta? Do you think we shhould allow the Rahkshi and Bohrok to always boss us around? This temple may be the answer to all our problems."

"Why is it up to us to help the other Matoran?" Duka demanded.

"They're our people," Hakma said. "They're our people, and they need our help. We're enslaved, Duka. We aren't supposed to be this way. We're supposed to be free, to invent stuff without having to sneak off. We're supposed to be free to look after ourselves, without being controlled by the Bohrok." He paused. "We're suppose to sleep under the night stars, and not in a dark cave. This temple could bring the Matoran freedom, Duka. Freedom for all Matoran!"

"Why is that up to us?" Duka whispered.

"It just is," Hakma said. "Maybe it's our destiny. But can you handle yourself if you had the chance to free all Matoran, and you just let it slip through your fingers? Can you handle that?"

Duka was silent. Finally, he spoke up. "If what you say is true, then we shouldn't be so hasty. We can come back here, and we can learn what the Bohrok do. We can create a foolproof plan, where we won't risk everything. Yes, you are right, we should discover the secret about this temple. But we must do it slowly, so we don't get caught."

Hakma nodded. "Tomorrow, we'll come back and spy out the temple."

Duka nodded in return. "Yes. We'll discover what we can. But we won't run the risks..."

Duka suddenly shivered. He had the feeling all Matoran get when they're being watched. A glance from Hakma proved that he, too, felt the sensation.

"Do they see us?" whispered Hakma.

"We should leave," Duka responded. They stood up, ready to turn back to the forest. But they both heard the shuffling through the trees. In seconds, the Lehvak were upon them.

"Run!" Duka screamed. Instantly, the two Le-Matoran spun around and sprinted through the forest. But the Lehvak, ready for a chase, easily followed them, using their acid venom to create a path towards their prey.

"Follow me!" Hakma cried. He leapt over a bush, and then ducked under a fallen log. Duka followed his example, but the Bohrok just crashed through, and gained on the Matoran. However, Duka had a sudden idea.

Hakma raced around one tree, but Duka leapt upon in, and started climbing to the top. The lead Lehvak sighted him, and dissolved the base of the tree with its acid venom.

Duka jumped from the tree, grabbed a vine, and easily swung to the ground. The tree toppled over, and fell upon the Bohrok, smashing it to pieces. But the rest continued to follow the Matoran.

Duka met up with Hakma again. "This way!" Hakma shouted, turning to his left. But then the second squad of Lehvak appeared.

"Uh oh!" Hakma said simply.

A second squad of Bohrok had appeared ahead of the Matoran, completely blocking them. The Matoran found themselves surrounded by Bohrok. They were caught.

The lead Bohrok of the second group was excited, and fired acid spray towards Duka. Duka was paralyzed from this sudden turn of events, and he couldn't even think of dodging the blast of acid. He cried out as he saw the blast flying towards him.

Duka closed his eyes, and prepared for the worst. But he was suddenly pushed aside, and he crashed to the ground. The next thing he heard was a blood-curling scream from Hakma. Duka's eyes snapped opened. Hakma had pushed Duka out of the way, and had taken the blast of venom himself.

Duka's eyes filled with fear. Hakma's mask and left arm were covered in acid, and a slight smoke arose from his body. To Duka's horror, Hakma's mask dissolved right before his eyes. His arm, likewise, hung limp and burned. Hakma screamed in pain, and he collapsed to the ground.

Tears streamed down Duka's eyes. He turned to the Lehvak, who was preparing for a second attack. His sorrow sudden transformed into intense hatred. Duka acted then, without thinking of the consequences.

A stick way lying on the ground. Duka jumped forward and grabbed it. He swung it around, and hit the lead Bohrok. As the Bohrok backed up from the sudden assault, Duka jabbed his stick into the Bohrok's most vulnerable spot: its eyes.

Duka caught the Bohrok's eyes, and the krana was ejected. The kranaless Bohrok simply collapsed to the ground. But Duka paid no attention to this Bohrok as he swung his stick towards the other Lehvak.

Duka lost himself in the action. He spun around furiously, knocking aside all the Bohrok and knocking the krana out of half of them. He heard a thump behind him, and he spun around, ready to take on the new Bohrok. But it was not a Bohrok that challenged him. It was the deadly green Rahkshi, Lerahk.

Duka charged forward, ready to smack the Rahkshi. But the Rahkshi merely twitched its staff, and caught Duka under the mask. Duka flipped backwards, and crashed to the ground. Pain flowed through his body, even though the Lerahk hadn't used its poison powers.

The Rahkshi scanned the scene, and dully noted the fallen Matoran. It gave quick orders to the Bohrok, who formed a circle around the Matoran. And then the Rahkshi leapt away, vanishing within the trees.

Duka crawled towards his friend. Hakma's mask had been completely dissolved, and his left arm was no more than a stump. His heart-light flashed rapidly, and he breathed in rapid gasps. Duka could tell what was going on in once glance; Hakma was dying.

"No, Hakma!" Duka whimpered. "Don't leave me."

"Duka..." gasped Hakma. "I'm... sorry..."

"I'm sorry, my friend!" Duka cried, tears streaming down his eyes. "I have let you down! Oh, you cannot die on me!"

"Sorry," Hakma said, and he tried to laugh, but his throat was too clogged. Then he spoke up. "Remember, Duka. The Matoran... their freedom..."

"Hakma..."

"Good bye, friend..."

Hakma's heart-light flickered and died. Duka howled in grief.

Duka mourned the death of his friend for quite some time, and the next thing he remembered was the Rahkshi reappeared. The Rahkshi had brought Tamaru, the Matoran leader of Le-Koro, to the scene. Tamaru oversaw the enslavement of the Matoran and worked with the Bohrok and Rahkshi. His Rau mask was darker than the usual Le-Matoran mask; it was pitted and scarred and generally gave him a very evil look.

"What were you doing here, Duka?" Tamaru demanded.

"I got lost picking berries," Duka murmured, still weeping over the body of his friend.

"Well, I have the feeling that you weren't exactly working very hard," Tamaru snapped. "You and Hakma were out of bounds, and that is a punishable offense!"

"Hakma's not here anymore," Duka whispered.

"Yes, I noticed," Tamaru sneered. "That is too bad. He's just one less worker we'll have. He's a perfect example of what befalls the rule-breakers."

Duka felt the rage build up in him again, and he leapt up to attack Tamaru. But his strength was gone, and Tamaru merely pushed Duka back to the ground, and laughed.

"You're punishment will be..." Tamaru started, and then thought about it. "Yes, you shall pick berries all day and into the night. A Lehvak shall continually accompany you, and you will work half the night, and rest the other half. You'll be on this schedule for a week. That should make up for the trouble you've caused us today. Now, I'd suggest that you get to work."

oOoOoOoOoOo

Later that night, Duka was again in the canopy of the trees, collecting berries in the dark. The Lehvak was below him, ignoring him for the most part. Duka climbed higher up the tree, to where he could see the night sky, with all the stars sparkling.

"Mata-Nui!" he whispered. "Why did you have to take my friend? I don't understand how a Great Spirit can be so great, and yet still allow us to suffer as we do. Why did Hakma have to die? Why?"

The sky didn't answer him, so Duka sighed. Then he looked upon the red comet that always hung in the sky. "On the red star, I swear that I shall always oppose the Bohrok and Rahkshi. One day, I shall avenge my friend for his horrible death. One day, I shall help free my people from the evils that enslave them. One day, this island will be cleansed, and I'll do all I have to in order to make sure that happens. One day, the Matoran will have freedom."

As if responding to his vow, the red start shifted through the sky, and entered a constellation of six bright stars. Duka watched the star in awe. Then he repeated the word of the vow that mattered the most to him.

"Freedom…"

The End.


	2. A Turaga's Tale

A Turaga's Tale

My name in Onewa. I am here to record my final tale of Mata-Nui, and the devastation that has come to it.

I used to be a Toa Metru from Metru-Nui. Toa Onewa of Stone, to be exact. Lhikan chose me to become a Toa, and to fight to keep the Matoran safe. Me and my five other fellow Toa underwent many struggles on our quest. We fought mighty Rahi, dangerous talking plants, cunning Dark Hunters, vicious Visorak, and the dark spirit himself, Makuta.

We tried to stop Makuta from sending the Matoran into a deep sleep on Metru-Nui, but failed. Yet we were able to capture Makuta, and we took some Matoran away from the underground city and onto the tropical island of Mata-Nui. On our return to gather the rest of the sleeping Matoran, we encountered Visorak spiders and their ingenious queen, Roodaka. We defeated Roodaka and her army of spiders, but we accidentally freed Makuta at the same time. It had something to do with the combination of our elemental powers. But what was important was that Makuta escaped, and lived on to further challenge us on our new home.

We were expecting a counter attack by Makuta. But when it came, it was more intense than we had expected. And it is possible that the Matoran shall be under everlasting darkness because of it.

oOoOoOoOoOo

I was in charge of Po-Koro; the small village set up in the desert. It was inhabited by the Matoran from the former Po-Metru. They were much smaller than their Metru-Nui forms; Makuta's powers had reduced their size and physical capabilities. Yet they were still my former friends from Po-Metru, even if their memories had been erased and my own form had changed drastically.

Po-Koro stood in the place of a former rock mountain. When I was still a Toa, I had used my stone elemental powers to cause the center of the mountain to crumble away while the edges remained. This left a large area surrounded by high rock walls, which seemed to be nearly impenetrable. A single gate was carved through the wall, and the village was built within it. The city was easily protected by the desert Rahi who wandered by. Most of the Rahi had somehow made it from my home city of Metru-Nui to the new island of Mata-Nui, and many of the larger species were aggressive. But the Matoran did come to tame some of the more docile Rahi, such as the Mukau and Mahi.

I was now a Turaga. In reawakening the Matoran, I had drained myself of most of my elemental powers, and I had been turned from a Toa into a Turaga elder. I was physically weakened, but I still had my knowledge, and my noble Kanohi continued to serve me. I thought that I wouldn't need to perform the strenuous actions of a Toa anymore; Toa Vakama had guided us in the making of six new Toa stones, which would summon new Toa when they were called upon. The new Toa would aid us, as we had once aided the Matoran.

Instead of creating traditional Toa stones like the ones Lhikan had given us, Vakama instructed us to fuse our Toa stones with the Makoki stones we had gathered in Metru-Nui. The power of the Toa stones had been shifted into the smaller Makoki stones, but three stones would have to be united in order to summon the Toa. I had no idea how this would be useful to us further down the road, but I am not for prophecies. Vakama is the one who had the strange visions of the future, and while I have given up making fun of him for it, I still can't completely understand them at times.

We had hidden the stones around the island, within our Wahis. I had left the stone is a small package on the top of a cliff-face where the desert met the ocean in the west. It would take an adventurous Matoran to locate that particular stone, so it was unlikely that it would fall in the wrong hands.

The first few years on Mata-Nui were peaceful enough. I helped the Po-Matoran build up a village within our protected walls. Stone huts were erected, and Matoran craftsmen continued the Po-Matoran tradition of carving. There were always statues of the spirit Mata-Nui all around the village. We Turaga often met with each other, but the villages were often separated. We had some trouble with Rahi, but for the most part, we were left on our own. It seemed the Shadows of Makuta were still recuperating from their previous defeat. At the time, I believed that we had weakened Makuta enough that he couldn't fight back. But I was greatly mistaken.

oOoOoOoOoOo

On the morning of that fateful day, the sky was a deep orangish color. As I glanced at the sky, I felt a quiver of fear run through me. There was nothing obvious happening, but I seemed to feel a shutter that ran throughout the entire island. I climbed up onto the top of our wall, and gazed out over the barren desert. The wind blew the sands by gently, but I could sense impending danger. It was the calm before the storm.

One Matoran caught my attention. "Turaga Onewa," he had said. "Did you see the stars last night?"

"I'm afraid I did not," I had replied. "Were about them?"

The Matoran had shaken his head, unsure ifhis observation was even worth discussing. "The oddest thing happened last night. The stars all seemed to shift around, and the red star vanished for a while, and then reappeared later on. It was very bizarre."

This news had shaken me deeply. The red star pronounced the prophecies to those who bothered to read them, such as my friend Nuju. I was not skilled in reading the stars myself, but a sudden reorganization of the stars was enough to startle me.

I had no way to know what would happen next. I only thought that I should meet with the other Turaga soon. Nuju would certainly notice the shift as well, and it would cause much disruption. We would discuss it, and be ready to face whatever was to come next.

I was about to retreat off the wall and muse over this new event, but a sudden sound caught my attention. This was a large rumble, which shook the very walls surrounding Po-Koro. In the distance, dust flew into the air, and I could tell it wasn't the start of a sandstorm.

It only took a few minutes to see them storming across the desert at full speed. I gasped as I spied them. Bohrok!

We had found nests of Bohrok beneath this island when we had first arrived as Toa. But the Bohrok had been asleep, and the archivist Whenua had assured us that they were no threat. But Vakama had seemed to think otherwise. And now they were rushing across the desert, heading directly towards our little village.

"Set up the defenses!" I had shouted down to the Matoran. "We're under attack!"

But it was too late. The brown Bohrok, known as Pahrak, had fired vibrations that wove through the air. The cliff-face I was on started to shake. When the vibrations struck the rock wall, the stone beneath my feet vaporized. Suddenly, all the Matoran who had been on the hillside went tumbling down to the ground. The impact knocked off their masks, and sent them into unconsciousness.

I managed to survive the fall, and landed on my feet. But our best form of defense had just been shattered. Before most of the Matoran could cope with the situation, the Pahrak had entered Po-Koro. With a flick of their brown shields, they sent the Matoran flying. They were taking out all the villagers right in front of my eyes. I had to do something, even if I wasn't a Toa anymore.

The closest Pahrak turned to me, and growled deeply. But I held my hammer tight and prepared to battle. My hammer held the slight remains of my elemental powers from my Toa form, and it would aid me in a fight.

The Pahrak charged forward, as I had expected. I dodged to the side with reflexes that I didn't even know I still had. As the Bohrok got closer, I rammed my hammer directly into the head-plate. The head-plate cracked, and a gooey green thing inside the Bohrok's head was cut apart. The Bohrok slumped over, defeated.

I took on a few more Bohrok and won. But then a creature walked into the wreckage of my village, and my eyes went wide. It was a brown Rahkshi, known as a Panrahk, who had the powers of fragmentation. I had fought Rahkshi before as a Toa, but their powers were too much for me to handle as a Turaga.

The Rahkshi lifted its staff, and fired a beam of pure energy at the ground beneath my feet. The stone exploded, and sent me skyward. I flew through the air, tumbling about and shaking with terror.

I landed far away in the soft sands of the desert, and there I lay for some time, unconscious. When I finally awoke, I was too shaken to move. Bohrok and a Rahkshi had just destroyed my village! The Matoran I had sworn to protect had been knocked aside with ease by the deadly Bohrok. Something was wrong, and I could guess who was behind it. Makuta was getting his revenge. But there seemed to be something else that was wrong. Like things should've played out differently. I didn't know how to explain it, but I had a deep feeling.

A lone Pahrak wandered by, probably in search of my crippled body. But my Kanohi still aided me. Before the Bohrok could attack me, I unleashed my mind control powers that were granted from wearing the noble Komau mask. I caused the Bohrok to halt, and forced it to tear itself apart. In the rubble remained the parasitic creature that controlled the body. It was a krana, and it had many special abilities, although I did not know all of them.

There was only one thing left to do. I had to find the other Turaga. I could go to the other villages, but I had a nasty suspicion that the other villages had been overrun as well. Instead, there was a special location next to the Kini-Nui where we Turaga would meet. I headed for the Kini-Nui, and hoped that the other Turaga would find their way there as well.

oOoOoOoOoOo

I did make it to the meeting location without trouble. There I found the other five Turaga already there, waiting for me. They all had worried looks on their face, and they didn't even have to tell me about their situations. I knew that all of the other villages had been taken as well.

Vakama started by sharing his story of disaster. The red Tahnok Bohrok had joined with a Rahkshi, and had taken over his village, despite the courageous acts of his guard. The other villages had also been taken by a swarm of Bohrok and a leading Rahkshi. None of the Matoran had escaped.

And Vakama had even worst news. "Last night," he had said. "My Vahi vanished."

Vakama, before becoming a Toa, had been a Matoran mask maker. As Toa, we had helped him find the six great discs, and he had combined them and created the Vahi, the mask of time. He had used it against Makuta once, and had almost lost it. It had been recovered, and he had kept it with him ever since. He kept it a secret from the Matoran, but all of us Turaga knew of it.

"It was simply there one moment," Vakama had continued. "Then it was gone. Like it had been teleported, but it was something much odder than that. There was no way a Matoran could've taken it. It just... disappeared."

"That is very disturbing," Matau had commented, and voiced all our opinions as well.

"And the stars have shifted," I had added. When the other Turaga met my response with a puzzled look, I explained the discovery made by the Po-Matoran. Nuju seemed to have noticed the shift as well, and spoke about it in his odd bird-like language.

Nokama translated Nuju's theories as "A brand new set of prophecies has been revealed." Nokama had then put on a solemn face. "All the prophecies we have been studying since we've become Turaga are now obsolete. Our fates are changing suddenly, and the stars are shifting accordingly."

We spent time discussing the situation. It was a danger beyond all of our other adventures that we had met on Metru-Nui. We might have been able to pull it off, if we had still been Toa. But our Toa forms had long ago been stripped away, and now our intellect was all that could aid us. And intellect would not get us far in a struggle against Makuta, who controlled the very shadows.

Then Vakama had one of his visions. In the middle of our discussion, he had wandered about, muttering randomly. But afterwards, he reported what he had seen in his vision. He had seen the Matoran of Mata-Nui enslaved by Makuta in collaboration with the Bahrag twins, the rulers of the Bohrok swarms. All the villages were ruled by Rahkshi and Bohrok, and the Matoran were forced into labor that caused them great suffering.

But Vakama had also seen a brighter side. At some point in the future, the Matoran would arise, and collect the Toa stones we had hidden. They would challenge the might of the Bohrok and Rahkshi, and they would need all our help.

Vakama set his plans into motion. We Turaga knew that Makuta was hunting for us. It seemed inevitable that he would eventually capture us. But Vakama had a plan that would allow us to escape if the Matoran came to our aid. We would leaves clues behind, which would lead Matoran to a secret location. At that location, we would leave a puzzle that needed to be solved, and we would conceal a part of our staff and mask within the puzzle. According to Vakama, when we were captured, our staffs and masks would somehow be transferred to the puzzle, and wait to be unlocked by the Matoran.

It was a desperate move, and it would require the last of our elemental energies. But Vakama seemed certain that it was the best for the future.

"For this sudden change of events is no natural occurrence," he had explained. "In my vision, I saw my Vahi mask. The mask has been corrupted, and was somehow used to rewrite history. Now Makuta guards the mask with all his powers, and it is beyond our grasp. But, in the future, those who can get to the mask and use it may set things right."

We had then split apart, in order to complete our puzzles and clues. I went with Nokama, and we traveled to the desert to start on my puzzle. I had written a small riddle on a stone tablet with my mask on it. I had thrown the tablet into the swirling sands. One day, it may be discovered by a Matoran wanderer, but Makuta's minions were not likely to find it.

Next, Nokama and I traveled to the half-built Quarry. It was very close to Po-Koro, but the Bohrok hadn't disturbed it yet. In the hidden chamber beneath the carving of the Kakama mask, I set up my puzzle. I described three carving techniques, and required the Matoran to write the name of the specific technique on a box. Once this was done, the box would dissolve, and reveal its contents. With Nokama's help, I removed a chip of my mask and a small portion of my hammer. I then used the last of my elemental powers to seal the box up. I left feeling rather weak and joined Nokama as we headed towards Ga-Wahi.

Nokama left her own clue tablet amongst a forest of bamboo reeds. She left her puzzle within a small sea cave, which would be filled up with water during the high tide. Her puzzle included the identification of a handful of fish, and she left a portion of her mask and staff behind as well. We left the sea cave feeling low in spirits, but relief still flowed through us. Whatever our fates were, we had left behind the way which might recall our spirits.

Walking down the beach, Nokama had paused by the ocean shore. "I have a small bit of my elemental powers left, and I feel a special need. I shall bless the sea waters."

I had never been fond of water, being a Turaga of Stone. I had argued against it, suggesting that she save her strength for the hardships that were to come.

"You don't understand," she had retorted. "The waters are the purest element on Mata-Nui now. For Makuta can taint the fire, the ice, the air, the earth, and the stone. But while he can poison all the waters of the island, he will never control the sea. The sea is of itself, and is beyond the control of anyone. It is the sea that will outlast us, be our fortunes good or ill. The seas will eventually outlast Makuta," she had finished with a sad sigh.

"If it is so powerful," I had argued. "Leave it be, and worry about your own strength."

"My strength means nothing now," Nokama replied sadly. "Soon, I will mean nothing to the Matoran. But if I can give the seas one last request... if I can ask the ocean to provide me one last need... I will empty my strength to do so."

She had knelt down into the small waves that lapped against the shore. "Oceans of Mata-Nui, protect those who shall end this reality. If Makuta can truly be defeated, keep those who shall send the final blow free from his harm. If there is any hope in the future to blow away the shadows, safeguard it. I ask this as my last request." As she knelt down, I knew she drained the last bits of her elemental powers into the seas.

I don't know what came over me. I loathe water for its wetness and eroding abilities. But Nokama's simple speech moved something in me. Maybe her element was powerful enough to endure, and possibly outlast, Makuta's reign of power. Maybe water wasn't so bad after all.

But I had little time to think of the water any longer. Shields clasped around my shoulders, and crushed me to the ground. Blue Gahlok Bohrok grabbed Nokama as well, and held her prisoner. Along the beach came the Panrahk and the blue Rahkshi, Guurahk. They were accompanied by two Matoran. One was a Ga-Matoran named Kotu, and the other was the traitorous Po-Matoran known as Ahkmou. Their usual Rau masks had been replaced by foul infected masks. They were controlled by Makuta now.

"You have fled from us long enough," Kotu had hissed. "You should've known that it was futile to try to run."

"The shadows have you now," Ahkmou has sneered. "Your time as the Matoran's protectors has ended! From now on, the Matoran shall never know of the Turaga. They are to be forever enslaved by Makuta!"

"We still have hope," Nokama had managed to say.

"It means nothing," Ahkmou had shot back. "Bohrok, disable them!"

The Pahrak holding onto me started to squeeze harder. My shoulders crunched as they were wedged into my body. My head rubbed against the harsh sands of the beach as I was pushed down. My mask came loose, and my hammer was ripped from my grasp. I felt the weakness sweep over me. But as I remained conscious, I could see my mask and hammer. They were slowly dissolving into nothingness. I saw the same happen to Nokama's mask and staff. They were being transferred to our hiding places, and would be ready for the Matoran to find them. Vakama's trick had worked.

I remember nothing more of the daylight now. Since then, I have been held in a dark chamber, far beneath the earth's surface. The shadows hold onto me. Most of the time, they keep me in an unconscious state, where I cannot feel or think or hope. But sometimes, Makuta does awaken us. When he does, he shows us what the Matoran are going through, through visions in our heads.

I have seen the final destruction of Po-Koro, as the great rock walls were reduced to mere dust by the Pahrak. I saw the underground prison where the Po-Matoran were forced to rest during the nighttime hours. I saw the Po-Matoran in the daylight hours, carving statues in the hot sun. The statues were to be sent to Makuta and the Bahrag as tribute. Their freedom had been taken away from them, and now they suffered.

My fellow Turaga suffered as well. Whenua, Vakama, and Matau saw their villagers languish under the harsh labor they were forced to go through. Nokama had it the worst, because her Ga-Matoran were locked away in a dark cave, and only allowed to breathe fresh air when they needed to fish. Any hope that had remained in them was quickly crushed.

Only Nuju didn't have to tolerate the torture his Matoran underwent. Early on, the Ko-Matoran had retaliated against the Bohrok and Rahkshi, and a fierce conflict had taken place. Most of the Ko-Matoran had been destroyed, but a few escaped and continued to roam the mountainside.

In my prison, I can sometimes reflect on what has happened. The Matoran have been enslaved, but we Turaga have left our marks, hidden as they may be. Vakama's vision offered us a hope that someday, somebody would find a way to free us and take down the alliance of Makuta and the Bahrag. And then we would have the peace that Makuta had so often denied us.

And for once, I am willing trust in Vakama's visions, and hope for the best.

The End


	3. Kopeke's Struggle

Kopeke's Struggle

Kopeke tilted his lightstone, focusing the light on the inner walls of the Sanctum. Written on the wall was a vast array of prophecies, which made up the famed Wall of Prophecy. Here, the Ko-Matoran meditated by seeking, and learned of the future.

Kopeke leaned closer to the wall, in order to decipher the small writing. The particular section he was studying related to the weather of Mata-Nui. The prophecies sometimes foretold of dangerous storms, which could cause much damage to the Koro. However, the section Kopeke was reading only spoke of partly cloudy days; such was the average weather in Ko-Wahi.

Kopeke didn't particularly want to read about day after day of cloudy skies, but he knew that it was important to study the prophecies. If he could effectively decipher the weather, then he could tackle more complicated prophecies, which foretold of the future for the Matoran of Ko-Koro and Mata-Nui.

Seeking also had other benefits, besides the knowledge of the future. When seeking, Ko-Matoran meditated to practice peace. From peace, the Matoran would be able to perfect their willpower. These were common goals amongst the Ko-Matoran.

Kopeke was a very good seeker, but he was still not as good as Matoro. He reflected that his boredom over reading the prophecies of the weather was likely holding him back. So, despite the fact that he never wanted to read such dull prophecies, he did so in order to achieve peace.

Kopeke's eyes scanned another section of the wall as he absendmindedly sipped on his drink. It was a juice created from the extract of Madu-Cabolo, an otherwise explosive fruit. It wasn't the tastiest fruit, but Ko-Koro had just received a shipment from Le-Koro, so they had to make due with what they had. Besides, in a pinch Madu-Cabolo's explosive powers could be used to clear snowdrifts, so having some on stock was useful.

"Ko-Koro is destined for yet another cloudy day," he thought bitterly to himself as he continued to scan the wall. "If only the prophecies would skip over such trivial nonsense."

He froze mid-thought as his eyes gazed into the corner of the Sanctum. For the first time, he saw the slight outline of a secret door embedded in the wall. The Sanctum had many secret doors; one was commonly used to get to the snowdrifts of Ko-Wahi. But Kopeke had never noticed this particular door before. And he had the feeling that none of his Matoran comrades had seen it either.

"It may be a secret room of the Turaga's," Kopeke thought. "I best not go in there."

He turned back to the prophecies, but now his curiosity was piqued. He was alone in the Sanctum at the moment; nobody would see him enter the door. Deciding to give in to his curiosity, Kopeke grabbed his lightstone and pushed against the wall. The secret door slowly opened for him.

Kopeke stepped inside, expecting to find something wonderful. However, all he found was what appeared to be an extension of the Wall of Prophecy. Although it wasn't as exciting as he had expected, Kopeke glanced at the wall where the prophecies began, and started to decipher the writing.

"The shadows will fall over the island of Mata-Nui…" the prophecy began. Kopeke's eyes went wide. This prophecy seemed to be concerning more than the weather. Much more. The Ko-Matoran continued.

"… When the Master of Shadows joins forces with the Swarm Queens, and conquers Matoran society." Kopeke stopped reading, and his breathing came in rapid gasps. This new prophecy foretold of a serious danger for the Matoran! He must inform Turaga Nuju of it right away.

But before he got the Turaga, he had to learn one last thing. Kopeke quickly skimmed over the records, taking in little of the information. But he was still able to find what he had been searching for: a date. The prophecy reported that the Shadows would begin to fall very soon. Kopeke could not locate a specific day, but the danger appeared to be imminent.

Kopeke fled from the room, and the secret door slid shut behind him. He didn't even bother to gather his belongings as he raced for the entrance of the Sanctum. However, before he made it there, a tremor ran through the earth, causing Kopeke to lose his balance. His sand blue Komau mask struck the icy floor. Moments later, a loud wailing noise was heard inside the Sanctum. It was the alarm for Ko-Koro.

Kopeke sprinted out into the snow streets of Ko-Koro. Other villagers were rushing from their huts, armed with pick axes and other improvised weapons. Standing in the center of the village were Turaga Nuju and his interpreter, Matoro.

"All Matoran to arms!" Matoro called. "All Matoran to arms! We're under attack!"

"What's attacking us?" shouted Jaa, the Ko-Matoran scribe who wore a gray Ruru.

Turaga Nuju replied to Jaa in his odd, bird-like language of clicks and chirps. However, Kopeke managed to understand one of Nuju's words without the help of a translator: "Bohrok."

"What are Bohrok?" Jaa asked, puzzled.

"You're about to find out," Matoro answered grimly. "Weapons ready. A swarm was sighted at the village's entrance, and they're advancing quickly."

The village of Ko-Koro was located next to a giant glacier, with icy cliffs jutting up on all sides. The valley only had one opening, where the entrance of the city was. It was the only way to enter the village, and the Bohrok invaders should only be able to come from that one direction.

Kopeke stared down the valley, and then he saw them. Round, insect-like creatures came charging up the hill, tearing up the various trees that got in their ways. They carried spiked shields and had glowing aqua-blue eyes. A dozen of them were heading up the slope towards the village.

"Matoran, load your discs," Matoran shouted. "Prepare to fire!"

Kopeke grabbed a bamboo disc that was lying on the ground, and prepared to throw it with all his might. Many of the other Ko-Matoran also armed themselves with the discs. They all took careful aim, and waited for the signal to fire.

Nuju lifted his ice pick, and pointed it towards the Bohrok, signaling a volley. The Matoran threw their discs through the air, and they shot towards the Bohrok. However, when they struck, the discs seemed to simply bounce of the Bohrok. A few were knocked over, but none were seriously harmed.

"Reload," Matoro shouted, but there was a slight panic in his voice. Some Matoran threw a second volley of discs, but they didn't faze the creatures. The line of Bohrok advanced towards the Koro, and Kopeke could hear the chirps they gave off.

Just as the Bohrok were about to pass the village gates, they halted. They shifted position, and aimed their shields at the Matoran. Yet they seemed to be waiting for a particular moment to act. Kopeke glanced around nervously, and he just happened to catch a glimpse of the ambush. From the cliff tops above the village dropped more of the white Bohrok, until the Matoran were surrounded by a swarm of the creatures.

Kopeke and the other Matoran froze. Only Nuju acted, by clicking vigorous commands to Matoro. Matoro took longer than usual to respond, but then he shouted, "Attack!" He picked up his pickaxe, and charged towards the lead Bohrok. The other Matoran reached for their weapons as well, ready to mimic his act.

The lead Bohrok responded. From ita shields, it shot an icy blast at Matoro. The Matoran didn't react in time, and he was suddenly encased in a cube of ice, powerless. The other Matoran charged, but many befell similar fates. In an instant, half of the Matoran of Ko-Koro were trapped within the ice of the white Bohrok, the Kohrok.

"Scatter!" Jaa screamed. The Ko-Matoran, now filled with panic, shot off in every direction. They could not escape, because the Bohrok blocked every exit. But now they became harder to hit.

Kopeke was filled with panic, but he also felt another emotion well up in him. Anger. It was a new emotion for him, one that he rarely felt. But now it flowed through him, directing his actions. He was angry with these Bohrok for capturing his friends. He wanted revenge.

Grabbing a fallen pickaxe, Kopeke charged the nearest Bohrok. The Bohrok fired ice at him, but Kopeke jumped over the blast. He swung his pickaxe into the monster's aqua-blue eyes. He made contact, and caused the Bohrok's head to snap opened. To his surprise, a small, blue parasite was ejected, and the Bohrok armor seemed to deactivate once the creature was out. This amazed Kopeke, and then he realized what it meant. The Bohrok had a weakness: their eyes.

Kopeke took no time in spreading the news. "The eyes," he cried out. "Aim for the eyes!" One of the Kohrok turned to challenge the loud Matoran, but Kopeke was already acting. He jumped forward, and slammed his pickaxe into the Bohrok's eyes. Yet again, the odd parasite was ejected.

Inspired by Kopeke's sudden success, the rest of the Ko-Matoran began to attack the Bohrok as well. One by one, the white Bohrok were disabled, and the blue parasites soon littered the ground. The Bohrok became more aggressive, but that was not enough to stop the Ko-Matoran. To Kopeke, it seemed like the battle had turned.

Kopeke jumped, and picked up a fallen disc. With lightning quick reflexes, he threw it at the nearest Bohrok, catching it in the eyes, and disabling it. Behind him, something hit the snow with a loud thump. Kopeke turned around to face this new opponent. However, instead of a Bohrok, he found himself facing a giant spiked monster with a large staff. Panic filled Kopeke's subconscious as he recognized a creature of legends: a Rahkshi!

Kopeke had only read briefly about Rahkshi when studying the Wall of Prophecy, but he knew they were dangerous, dark creatures. And now one had appeared in the middle of a battle with the Bohrok. It became clear to Kopeke what was going on now. The shadows had begun to fall across the land.

Kopeke reached for his pick, so he could at least challenge the monster. He would hardly be a threat to the Rahkshi, but he would still try his best. However, before he could move, the Rahkshi pointed its staff at him, and fired a beam. And then Kopeke's world went haywire.

Kopeke had been filled with a lust for revenge, but now true anger flowed through him. The red-hot feeling gnawed at his subconscious, causing him to drop to the ground, gripping his head in agony. He screamed as the anger overwhelmed him, filling him with undeniable urges to do the irrational.

Kopeke wanted to do so much now. He wanted to kill the Rahkshi, for causing him this distress. He wanted to slaughter the Bohrok, for attacking his village. But his anger went beyond that. He wanted to clobber the Matoran who were foolish enough to get frozen. He wanted to beat Matoro, who hadn't led them to victory. He wished Turaga Nuju ill luck for not allowing them to attack earlier. He was angry with the Matoran who had not polished their huts that morning, and at the Matoran who had left their supplies in the Sanctum yesterday. And, most of all, he wanted to strangle the Matoran, whoever it was, who wrote a whole wall of prophecies concerning only the mild weather of Ko-Koro!

The anger grew in Kopeke, calling up images in his head of death and destruction. With sudden realization, Kopeke noticed that he had fallen over onto the snow. He was soon angry with himself for not mustering the energy to get back on his feet.

And then Jaa crept into Kopeke's point of view. A Kohrak advanced on the poor Ko-Matoran, and swung its shied hard. The Bohrok caught Jaa in the mask and broke a chip of it off. Jaa hit the ground in agony.

Kopeke knew he had to do something to stop this. The anger within him was some sort of disease that was eating away at his reason and skill. Using all his mental energies, Kopeke cleared his mind of all the anger. Slowly at first, and then faster, the burning feelings began to cool down. Kopeke gripped his head, and concentrated on the eradication of all the anger in his head. To help keep his mind clear, he recalled his readings of the weather on the Wall of Prophecy. This somehow fueled his energies, and soon the anger was swept from his system. Kopeke took a deep breath, and got to his feet.

Ko-Koro was in chaos. A few Matoran were still running away from the Bohrok, and many more were trapped in icy statues. Many Matoran were lying around like Kopeke had been; victims of the Kurahk's anger powers. The only way the Ko-Matoran could escape was if the Rahkshi's powers over them were lifted. The only way for that to happen would be for Kopeke to defeat the Rahkshi. Eyeing the cliff-side, Kopeke quickly formed a plan in his head. But it would all rely on his ability to fight the Kurahk's anger.

Kopeke ripped an icicle off the side of a hut, and rushed to the cliff-side. On the edge of the cliff was a pile of rocks, which would come tumbling down if hit in the right spot. If Kopeke could throw the icicle with accuracy, he could cause a rockslide. All he needed to do was to position the Rahkshi underneath the landslide.

"Hey, you there!" Kopeke shouted at the top of his lungs. He was not used to shouting, and his voice seemed to tear at his throat, but he suffered through it. The Rahkshi swung its head around, and sighted the lone Matoran. Hissing ferociously, it stomped towards Kopeke, firing beams of anger into him.

Kopeke felt the anger well up within him again, but he had to supress it. He would need all his focus to proceed with his plan. Fighting back the mental tide of rage, Kopeke waited until the Rahkshi was right next to him. Then, in one quick, fluid movement, Kopeke threw the icicle up through the air, and hit the pile of rocks.

At first, only one rock came loose, and it smacked the Kurahk's head. But suddenly, all the rocks were falling, creating a cascade of debris that rained down on the Rahkshi. Kopeke jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the plummeting boulders, but the large lumbering Rahkshi was not so fast. When the last pebble fell, the Rahkshi was crushed under the debris. All the Matoran who had been under its anger spell were released. Unfortunately, they still had to deal with the Bohrok, which were still arriving through the Koro's gate.

Kopeke knew that a retreat was in order. "Flee," he shouted. "Get through the Sanctum and into the snowdrifts! Once there, we can lose the Bohrok!"

All the Matoran who could move ran into the Sanctum. Kopeke hastily picked up Jaa, and started carrying him towards the building as well.

"Leave me..." Jaa gasped.

"I won't do that," Kopeke said simply.

"No," Jaa moaned. Kopeke glanced behind him to see the Bohrok. Some of the Kohrok were advancing towards the retreating Matoran, but the others were focusing on the Matoran ice statues. To Kopeke's horror, they stated shattering the statues, destroying the Matoran who were encased within them.

Dread and anger threatened to overwhelm Kopeke again, but he controlled himself as he hauled Jaa into the Sanctum. Once inside, he helped his fellow Ko-Matoran block the door, as others took care of Jaa.

Lumi, a Ko-Matoran seeker, looked at Kopeke with hopelessness in his eyes. "It doesn't matter. They'll break through. They'll follow us."

"I'll delay them," Kopeke said tensely. "All of you, get to the snowdrifts. Once there, split up into small teams and hide out. We need to hide from the Bohrok. I'll stay behind, and I'll block the entrance."

Lumi was about to argue, but decided against it. He followed the other Matoran as they fled through the secret doorway towards the snowdrifts. As they retreated, Kopeke located their shipment of fresh Madu-Cabolo fruit, and piled them all together in the center of the Sanctum. The ripe fruit had enough explosive power to bring down the Sanctum, and with the building down, the Bohrok would have no way to access the secret passageway to the snowdrifts. That would give the Matoran a useful head start.

Kopeke created a trail of Madu-Cabolo juice from the pile to the entrance of the passageway. Kopeke then pulled out his heat-stone, which he would use to light the juice trail. He hesitated, because he did not want to destroy the Wall of Prophecy. However, there was no other choice, as the door was already started to shake as the Bohrok banged against it.

Kopeke let the heat-stone drop, and then he ran.

The Sanctum exploded soon afterwards. The explosion blew apart the Bohrok who had entered the structure, and sent chunks of ice and stone high into the air. The Bohrok and remaining Matoran ice statues were immediately destroyed. The only survivor was the Kurahk Rahkshi, who was ironically protected by the layer of rocks that had been used to trap it.

Kopeke did not see the effects of the explosion. As he heard the blast, he was sprinting into the snowdrifts, searching for a place to conceal himself.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Months later, Kopeke entered the wreckage of the Sanctum. It had been the first time he had returned to Ko-Koro since the incident. He had spent his time alone in the snowdrifts, where he would occasionally have to avoid teams of Kohrok.

Kopeke had met very few of his fellow Ko-Matoran in chance meetings in the snow. He had come upon Jaa once, who had recovered from his injuries. He had heard no news of Lumi and a few other Matoran; it was quite possible that they had been taken by the Bohrok. None of the Matoran dared to venture out of the mountains, as it was rumored that the other villages of Mata-Nui had fallen as well.

A simply chance meeting had inspired Kopeke to return to the Sanctum. While hiding out in the snowdrifts, he had sighted Turaga Nuju. The Turaga had vanished during the battle in Ko-Koro, had hadn't been heard of since. Kopeke watched as he dropped a stone tablet in the snows, and then wandered away before Kopeke could contact him. Kopeke had located the tablet, which appeared to be directions to a particular location on the mountain. Not knowing why, Kopeke had dropped the tablet and let the snow blow over and eventually bury it.

The odd occurrence had reignited Kopeke's lust to know the future, and had reminded him of the secret room he had discovered in the Sanctum just before the attacl. He decided to risk returning to Ko-Koro and see if anything remained of the Wall of Prophecy.

As he entered the wreckage of the building, he could see that most of the Wall of Prophecy had been destroyed, but the corner with the secret door remained intact. After some struggling, Kopeke managed to enter the small room, which was mostly unaffected by the blast. Feeling a new excitement, Kopeke began to read the prophecies again.

These prophecies were much more complicated than any he had ever studied before. They required calculations of the movements of the stars in the sky. Particular events were mapped out, but Kopeke could hardly decipher them at a glance. However, he understood that the island of Mata-Nui was under absolute control of the forces of darkness, known as Makuta and the Bahrag twins.

Yet the prophecies offered hope. In the future, six Matoran would appear, and begin to challenge the might of the overlords. They would use their intelligence and skill to aid them, and they would use the services of the enslaved Matoran. Kopeke was astonished to see that his own name was included in the prophecies, and that he had a role to play in the future.

Kopeke drew in a deep breath. So much had changed in his life. Many of his friends, like Matoro, had died on that faithful day when the shadows began to spread. Others, like Jaa, had to manage a bare existence in the snows of the mountain. And the Matoran from the other villages were suffering as well. But the future offered hope still, and Kopeke was determined to learn all about it, so he could achieve his destiny.

Kopeke brought himself into a peaceful state, and continued to read the prophecies.

The End.


End file.
